


Lost and Found

by Annamaetion



Category: Soul (2020)
Genre: Astral Projection, Friendship, Gen, Second Chances, Soul-Searching, Spirit World, The Astral Plane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28532262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annamaetion/pseuds/Annamaetion
Summary: Joe got a second chance, and wants to help others with theirs. There are a lot of lost souls in The Zone, and he wants to learn how he can help them. So Joe turns to the one person he knows who can help: Moonwind.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 31





	Lost and Found

It was interesting to wake up and realize that you hadn’t really been appreciating life. It had taken  **_dying_ ** — and being given a second chance to finally have the revelation, but at least he had it now. 

Most people didn’t need to die to learn to live their life to the fullest though. Some only needed to be coaxed out of their zone-obsession—either by someone in their life or by the zone mystics.

Occasionally, Joe thought of the lost souls in the zone, and it would worry him. There were just so many of them. Surely Moonwind and his crew weren’t enough to wake them all. Joe resolved to talk it over with Moonwind as soon as possible.

First Joe had to tell the school and Dorothea what he had decided, which took some time to set up the details. 

At the end of a long day Joe went to the corner intersection where Moonwind was based.

Moonwind was spinning his sign deftly, clearly having a grand time, probably already sailing in the zone from the look of things, and Joe was loath to snap him from it. He watched from a distance waiting for Moonwind to get off from his sign spinning gig.

Eventually, his phone chimed a pleasant bell tone gong alarm, reverberating more than what a typical ringtone would. Moonwind’s eyes turned into a more focused look and he regarded Joe with a warm regard and recognition.

Moonwind greeted him cheerily, “Joe, it’s great to see you again on the earthly plane!” He leaned in conspiratorially, “Honestly, I wasn’t sure I’d see you here again. I’ve never met anyone before who’d gotten a second chance from The Great Beyond...or at least if I have, I didn’t  _ know _ them.”

Joe nodded, “Yeah, I imagine it doesn’t happen a lot, what with Terry keeping such a close eye on the count.”

Moonwind laughed, “So.” He punctuated, making from the word a whole sentence somehow, “What have you decided to do with your second chance?”

Joe smiled, “I accepted the full time band teacher position, but I sometimes sit in on jazz sessions with Dorothea Williams at the Half Note.”

“Awesomeness, sounds like a great jam!” Moonwind stroked his goatee in thought, “Though, it seems like something else is on your mind?”

The sign spinner’s insight had not yet failed to pierce right through to his soul. Which didn’t really surprise Joe. Moonwind had  _ seen _ the manifestation of his soul after all. Had traveled to a thin spot to attempt to  _ re-tether  _ his soul to his comatose body. 

Also, he apparently knew of a way to find thin spots to swap souls with bongos and chanting while still on the ‘earthly plane’.

That spoke to a connectivity to the universe that Joe was only beginning to grasp.

“Well actually— I have a question; you know how you and the other mystics meet every Tuesday to help lost souls in the zone?”

Moonwind grinned wide, a knowing look brightened his face, “Let me guess, you want in?”

“Yes, please. Well, maybe not on Tuesday… but, I got a second chance and I want to help others as well.” Joe sighed, “Just seems like the least I can do.”

“Alrighty, I’d be happy to have you.” Moonwind clapped Joe on his shoulder warmly, “You don’t have to do Tuesdays if your schedule works better for some other day, I do the zone travel most days when I sign spin. The Tuesday thing is just when it worked best for the others of the group.”

Joe shrugged, “I’m not particular, just...maybe on a day when you could use the help? If I went with the Tuesday group it might be a ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’ sort of situation.” Joe wrung his hands, “I might need some training too.”

Moonwind hummed in thought, “Well it’s just me most of the week. You know, most souls never become conscious of the zone. You’re an especially unique case in-of-yourself, as you came back from the dead...do you have anything else planned for today?”

Joe shook his head, and Moonwind gestured broadly that he wished for Joe to follow him. Moonwind led Joe up to a cramped apartment in a building nearby.

The small space could best be described as organized chaos with a cacophony of color palettes that somehow weren’t overwhelming. The myriad of decor was fairly busy, but not to the point of clashing or being overwhelming. Joe wondered if there was something zen about the space, or if he was just imagining it.

The air smelled vaguely of musty lavender mixed with a few other fruit-like spice notes that Joe couldn’t quite place. It hung in the air like a comforting presence.

Moonwind walked over to a CD player and set it up to play an ambient jungle nature noises soundtrack.

He turned back towards Joe and bowed theatrically, “Make yourself at home; me casa es su casa— etc…” 

Moonwind pointed in the direction of a faded purple couch, that Joe suspected was older than he was, piled high with colorful blankets and pillows. Nearby there were two bean bag chairs festooned in a soft pastel tie-dye motif. 

Joe carefully sat himself in one of the bean bag chairs, and he was pleasantly surprised to find more form to them then he had thought at first glance.

Moonwind sat himself down in the other bean bag chair and stretched contentedly, “You already have a pretty good grasp on entering the zone, the real trick is to become aware  _ in _ the zone without snapping yourself completely out of it.” 

He tapped a finger dramatically against his chin in a deep thought, “The last time you became aware in the zone was when I sailed by and helped jostle you. Ideally, you’ll get to the point of being able to do that yourself. I’ll help you bridge the gap until then of course.”

“Thank you. So how should we start?”

“Well, for today? I’d like you to meditate on what going into the zone feels like to you, and what awareness within the zone feels like. I probably shouldn’t travel the zone again so soon, because I just did like five hours of it and need to recharge.”

Moonwind eased further back into his beanbag chair, “Are you good with trying to zone out tomorrow at around the time when I ought to be zone surfing? That way I can ease you into zone awareness if need be, and we can begin on mystic training when I’m refreshed.”

“Oh yeah,” Joe agreed easily, “of course, that sounds like a plan. I should probably get some rest too, it’s been a long few hours.”

“Before you go,” Moonwind stood in an easy stretch, “I’d like to synchronize our chakras, if that’s okay? It’s nothing complicated, and it will help our souls find each other in the zone.”

“Uh...okay.” Joe stood slowly, “How do we do that?”

Moonwind used his right hand to grab onto his own left elbow, making an ‘L’ shape, “Mirror this, put your left hand on your right elbow. Then, use your right hand to clasp my right elbow while I clasp your right elbow.”

Joe complied with a little fumbling, “Now what?”

Moonwind took a deep breath, “Focus on the points where we connect. Breath with me.” He took a deep breath in and out, “Feel your soul. Your energy. Imagine that energy radiating like body heat. Past where your body ends and into mine. Allow my energy to co-mingle with yours.”

Joe allowed himself to picture that the body heat transfering between them was their souls intertwining. It was strange at first to visualize their souls mixing, but eventually his nerves settled.

Moonwind hummed contentedly, “You’re doing great Joe.” He leaned his head forward, “If you feel comfortable enough— touch your forehead to mine.”

Joe allowed his head to lean forward and his forehead gently met with Moonwind’s.

The  **_energy_ ** . It was like when he first returned to his body after dying and became fully aware and appreciative of the sensations of life again. Lifted out from the detached dullness of death. 

He couldn’t help but inhale sharply at the feeling. His soul had been  _ lonely  _ before. How had he never realized?

Probably the same way he hadn’t realized he hadn’t been appreciating his life until he  _ died and came back _ .

“Alright Joe, our chakras are now aligned. You’re good to let go if you’re ready.”

Joe found himself holding on to Moonwind tighter, he wasn’t ready. Losing the energy...the company...now that he had found it seemed like a daunting prospect, “I-I Uh…”

Moonwind sent a reassuring energy that calmed Joe instantly, “Aligning chakras means parts of our souls are now in synchronous harmony. They’ll remain that way as long as we both consciously wish it so.”

Reassured, Joe tentatively let go and took a small step back. The energy wasn’t as intense, but Joe certainly felt some aspect of it in the air around him. He felt not only more connected with Moonwind but also with himself, “That...was different.”

Moonwind nodded sagely, “Your soul longs for connections, not at all unusual for someone rediscovering the joy of living.” He patted Joe’s back companionably, “I’d recommend hugging, high fiving, etc. any close friends or family that are comfortable with contact, that should help rebalance you.”

“Good to know.” 

“Would you like a hug from me Joe?” Moonwind asked gently, once again seeing what Joe couldn’t bring himself to say.

“Y-yeah, I would.”

Moonwind enveloped Joe in an enthusiastic embrace. Joe felt his uncertainty settle as the warmth enveloped him.

Joe smiled gratefully as he let go of the hug and took a step back, “Thank you Moonwind. For everything.”

Moonwind replied breezily, “Just glad I could help Joe. Helping people is good karma and all that, puts positive vibes out into the world. Me helping you has led you to being in a position to continue helping others, you know?” 

Joe blinked at the revelation, “Paying it forward takes on a whole new level of meaning when you put it like that.”

“Never considered the spiritual aspect before now huh?” Moonwind laughed knowingly, “Most people don’t have the benefit of a mystic paradigm shift. So, even if they do consider the spiritual aspect, they don’t  _ know  _ if in the same way you, the other mystics, or I do. Not that others have the wrong way. I’m not even calling it limited. It’s just different.”

Joe nodded slowly, “Just as long as people keep looking to help people in the ways that they can?”

“Looking and reaching.” Moonwind agreed, “With enough practice you can even identify and help lost souls on the earthly plane. Though it’s easiest while in the zone. They are more receptive to help there. And even then, it’s usually the most buried that  _ need _ the direct intervention.”

Moonwind guestured enthusiastically, “Those who have just dipped from the zone into obsession can sometimes snap themselves out of it. That’s why us mystics typically focus on those who are most consumed in their obsession.”

“Well it’s good to know that people can snap themselves out of obsession.” Joe said, clearly relieved, “I was worried that they’d be stuck in the zone until a mystic snapped them out of it.”

“Oh hardly, thankfully enough. Usually it’s just a bit harder than remaining in the positive light aspect of the zone.” Moonwind stretched and covered a large yawn with his hand, “Anywho, we can discuss more of the finer aspects tomorrow. Whether on the earthly or astral plane.”

“Right, thanks Moonwind. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

With that, Joe left the apartment as Moonwind waved a fond farewell, “Until then Joe, fare thee well!”

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
